Joaquin Sarabia, Davao Region-PRISAA athletic manager, said the development of potential swimmers was “brought down” due to the lack of a 50-meter standard swimming pool where they could build up their skills.
“We don’t have an Olympic size swimming pool where our swimmers could build up their skills and where they could go through hard training. Practically, their performance is descending,” said Sarabia.
Deedee Gonzales, Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) Davao Region chief, agreed with Sarabia’s observation.
“But it won’t stop us from developing swimmers. It would be good if we have (standard swimming pool) because it could really help,” said Gonzales.
Sarabia, also sports coordinator of the University of Mindanao, said there are many potential swimmers but that “we don’t have quality swimmers” at present.
He attributed the problem to the lack of “a right venue where they [swimmers] could train.”
Davao Region landed second overall, finishing behind host Western Visayas in the recent 2007 National PRISAA Championships held in Ilo-ilo City.
“What can you expect?” asked Sarabia adding, “They (Western Visayas) have two standard swimming pools there and we don’t have one.”
At present, most of the swimmers here and those in nearby places are doing training in a 25-meter commercial swimming pool.
If plans push through, an Olympic-size swimming pool will be constructed on the proposed multi-million Elias B. Lopez Sports Complex set to rise soon inside the University of the Philippines-Mindanao campus in Bago Oshiro, Mintal.
UM is reportedly planning to build an Olympic-size swimming pool.